Tue, 27 May 2025

Tue, 27 May 2025 KFC to create 7,000 jobs to fend off rivals Wingstop and Popeyes

The fried chicken firm will invest nearly £1.5bn over five years as rivals step up expansion.
KFC plans to create 7,000 new jobs across the UK and Ireland over the next five years, investing nearly £1.5bn as it responds to growing competition from rival fast food chains. The company will open 500 new sites and upgrade existing shops, with a focus on "key locations" such as Ireland and north west England. KFC currently has over 1,000 restaurants across the UK and Ireland, but smaller competitors like Wingstop and Popeyes have been expanding rapidly. In recent years, Britons have spent billions of pounds on fried chicken from fast food shops, with KFC remaining the largest player in the market. To drive growth, KFC will invest in its supply chain to strengthen relationships with suppliers such as Pilgrim's Europe and McCormick. The company expects the 7,000 new jobs to include roles for servers, kitchen staff, and managers. However, with rising employment costs and a growing skills gap, KFC's general manager Rob Swain acknowledged that it would be "challenging" to find suitable candidates for some of these roles. Despite this, the company receives around half a million job applications every year and promotes 2,000 staff internally into management roles annually. KFC's expansion plans come as rival chains continue to grow in popularity, with Wingstop planning to open 20 new sites in the UK and Popeyes expanding its presence across the country.
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